In 1972 Mike & Lal Waterson released an extraordinary album of their original songs – Bright Phoebus – on Bill Leader’s Trailer label. This magical collection of very English songwriting as long been acknowledged a classic and one of the finest achievements of the British folk revival. Inexplicably Bright Phoebus was out of print for many years.
Performed by Norma Waterson, Dayteller, Maddy Prior, Richard Thompson, Eliza Carthy, Blue Murder, Dick Gaughan, Linda & Teddy Thompson, Helen Watson, Billy Bragg & The Blokes, Martin Carthy, Christy Moore, Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin, Christine Collister & Oliver Knight … Shining Bright was conceived to pay tribute To Mike & Lal’s remarkable songs, and it draws upon the songs recorded for Bright Phoebus, and on a further dozen songs written at the same time but not previously recorded. Shining Bright has fifteen new recordings by some of the folk world’s finest performers. The songwriting of Mike and Lal is held in such high esteem that soon we had a queue of performers eager to contribute to this collection.
“The Coen brothers did it for the music of the deep south, Ry Cooder ditto for Cuban music.and now Topic Records have done it for Lal and Mike Waterson, two of English folk’s most original and searingly creative singers/songwriters. This is a collection that bristles and shines. A collection to bask in. A glorious gathering” Irish Times
1 John Pashley’s Phoenix New Orleans Parade Band : Bright Phoebus
John Brunton tenor saxophone, Eugene Farrar trombone, Philip Kampen sousaphone, Howard Maude bass drum, John Pashley trumpet, Dave Stanley snare drum
2 Linda & Teddy Thompson : Evona Darling
Linda Thompson vocals, Teddy Thompson vocals and acoustic guitar, Van Dyke Parks accordion, Hammond B3 organ
3 Dick Gaughan : Scarecrow
Dick Gaughan vocals and guitar
4 Martin Carthy : Never The Same
Martin Carthy vocal, The Wrecking Crew: Sophie Sirota viola, Howard Gott violin, Jackie Norrie violin, Sarah Willson ‘cello, Andy Waterworth double bass. Arranged and conducted by Robert Kirby
5 Norma Waterson : Song For Thirza
Norma Waterson vocals, Eliza Carthy violin, Martin Carthy guitar, Ben Ivitsky violin
6 Christy Moore : Piper’s Path
Christy Moore vocals, Donal Lunny bouzouki, Declan Sinnott guitars
7 The Eliza Carthy Band : Child Among The Weeds
Eliza Carthy vocals and fiddles, Lucy Adams backing vocals, Martin Green piano accordion and piano, Barnaby Stradling bass guitar and piano, Sam Thomas drums
8 Helen Watson & Heather Greenbank : Shine
Helen Watson vocals and guitar, Heather Greenbank electric guitar and backing vocals
The Wrecking Crew: Sophie Sirota viola, Howard Gott violin, Jackie Norrie violin, Sarah Willson ‘cello, Andy Waterworth double bass, string arrangement by Robert Kirby
9 Billy Bragg & the Blokes : Danny Rose
Billy Bragg vocals and guitar, Ben Mandelson Vietnamese lap steel and Fender bajo sexto, Lu Edmonds electric guitars, Ian McLagan Hammond B3 organ, Martyn Barker drums and percussion, Simon Edwards bass guitar
10 Maddy Prior : Winifer Odd
Maddy Prior vocals, Rosie Kemp vocals, Rick Kemp everything else
11 Christine Collister & Oliver Knight : Marvellous Companion
Christine Collister vocals, Oliver Knight guitar
12 Jody Stecher & Kate Brislin : One Of Those Days
Kate Brislin vocals, Jody Stecher vocals and guitar
13 Dayteller : Fine Horseman
Jim Boyes vocals and electric guitar, Barry Coope keyboards, Steve Page percussion, Sam Smith oud, Gary Warmington stick bass
14 Richard Thompson : Red Wine Promises
Richard Thompson vocals and guitar
15 Blue Murder : Bright Phoebus
Jim Boyes, Eliza Carthy, Martin Carthy, Barry Coope, Lester Simpson, Mike Waterson and Norma Waterson vocals, Martin Carthy acoustic guitar
